When you look at a full-text article in a library subscription database or at a publisher's website, the URL associated with that article is either dynamic or persistent.
A dynamic URL means the the URL was createdat the time you did the search in the database that eventually brought you to the full-text article you are viewing. A dynamic URL is temporary and usually will not work when copied and tried again. So if you provide the URL to others (as in a research paper reference list,) they will not usually be able to access the information.
A persistent or durable URL will return you to the same article every time. Some vendors do a very good job of providing a persistent/durable URL, others do not. This creates a problem when you need to provide a persistent or durable URL to put into a list of references for your paper or an email, or when instructors want to put links in WEBCT or Blackboard. This guide will give you information you can use to create persistent/durable URL's.
| Please note: A proxy prefix should be part of all library database URL's. This prefix allows students and faculty affiliated with the Victoria College or the University of Houston-Victoria free access to the databases.. Without the proxy prefix, users trying to access databases from off-campus will not be recognized by the database vendor as a VC or UHV user. The proxy prefix is http://ruby2.uhv.edu/login?url= You may have to add this prefix to your URLS. |
Look below for instructions and examples on how to make persistent/durable URL information for specific databases. Be sure to test all URL's to make sure they work correctly.
- EBSCO
- EBSCO databases (such as Business Source Complete, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete) already contain persistent links containing the proxy prefix.
1. Scroll to the end of the citation in the EBSCO database you are using. You will find a field titled "Persistent Link to this Record"
2. Copy the persistent link URL (notice it contains the proxy prefix).
3. Paste it into your document. - Gale
- Gale databases (such as Literature Resource Center, Health Resource Center, and Academic Onefile) provide a persistent URL which you create as a "bookmark", but you still have to add the proxy prefix.
1. Click on "Bookmark this document" in the Gale database you are using.
2. A screen will open showing you the bookmark URL created. The bookmark URL can be very long. You need all of it.
3. Copy the bookmark URL.
4. Paste the URL into your documents.
5. Insert the proxy prefix before the http:// in the URL. An example of a Gale persistent URL with proxy information is shown below.
http://ruby2.uhv.edu/login?url=http://find.galegroup.com/itx/infomark.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents
&docType=IAC&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=AONE&docId=A176652688
&userGroupName=txshracd2626&version=1.0&searchType=BasicSearchForm&source=gale - Proquest
- Proquest databases (such as Accounting and Tax, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times provide a persistent URL
with every article, but you still have to add the proxy prefix.
1. Scroll to the end of the citation for the article you want to cite.
2. Beneath the "Indexing (Document Details)" you will find the Document URL:
3. Copy the Document URL.
4. Paste the URL into your document.
5. Insert the proxy prefix before the http:// in the URL. An example of a Proquest persistent URL with proxy information is shown below.
http://ruby2.uvh.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1479634721&sid=1&Fmt=3
&clientId=121&RQT=309&VName=PQD - Stat!Ref
- Stat!Ref provides a persistent URL at the bottom of every full-text page, but you still have to add the proxy prefix.
1. Look for the (+/-)Show Bibliography bar at the bottom of the screen where you find the information you want to use (see example to right)
2. If you cannot see the Bibliography information below the green bar, click on the (+/-) to reveal it. Notice the Electronic Address - that is the persistent URL.
3. Copy the URL shown in the Electronic Address.
4. Paste the URL into your document.
5. Insert the proxy information before the http:// in the URL.
6. For Stat!Ref, you must also add a location id to the URL. The location id should be added to the end of the URL using the following syntax &grpalias=TEX.
A completed persistent URL with off-campus access is shown below.
http://ruby2.uhv.edu/login?url=http://online.statref.com/document.aspx? fxid=998&docid=342&grpalias=TEX